A Fine Romance
by J Daydreamer
Summary: Just a bit of fluff in honor of Ginger Rogers' birthday today.


**This was originally written and posted on tumblr last year as just a little bit of fluff in honor of Ginger Rogers' birthday. On another note, I am still working on All for Love do intend to finish it one of these days. :)**

Myka pulls at the ties of her robe as she steps lightly down the stairs. Helena left their bed to procure a cup of tea long ago and concerned about Helena's prolonged absence Myka sets about finding her.

She finds Helena in the darkened living room, the glow of a flickering black and white screen offering the room its only light. Helena sits on the edge of the sofa, her own robe slightly askew and a cup of tea long forgotten sitting on the coffee table before her.

It isn't like Helena to be so enraptured by anything a television has to offer but the look on her face is one of intense interest.

Myka approaches her lover quietly. "Helena?"

At the sound of her name, Helena turns dark eyes on Myka and graces her with the smile that never fails to make Myka's heart flutter and jump at the sight.

"Myka, darling, everything alright?" Helena asks lightly.

Myka laughs. "That's what I was just going to ask you. Helena, you disappeared nearly twenty minutes ago for tea. When you didn't return…"

"Ah, yes, I did get the tea, you see," she says nodding to the cup on the table. "Though it's likely gone cold by now," she admits with a shrug. "At any rate, I had every intention of returning to you post haste, but this picture caught my attention," she says reaching for Myka's hand to pull her down on the sofa beside her.

"And you just decided you were interested in starting a movie at one o'clock in the morning?" Myka asks amused.

"Hardly," Helena replies. "I noticed the television was left on, most likely Pete, you know what his habits are, so I intended to turn it off. But Myka, these dancers…they're entrancing," she speaks turning shining eyes back to the screen.

Myka follows her gaze to view the black and white image. She's never been much of a movie person, books have always been her real love, but it would be difficult not to recognize the dance couple on screen.

At the image of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire practically floating across the screen, Myka recalls a memory.

She worked in her father's bookstore every summer during her high school years, mostly doing inventory, shelving and cataloging the books. The register was one aspect of the job she preferred to avoid, but there was one day when she was the only one available to check out a customer.

The woman was small and older, with a large smile as she placed her book of choice onto the counter. Myka had offered her a shy smile as she stole a glance at the cover. It had been an autobiography of some old movie star Myka didn't know. She had felt disappointed somehow, that the woman should decide to choose this book over the classics, Dickens, Shakespeare, Austen, Wells…

The woman customer seemed to sense Myka's disappointment in her choice of book and only smiled broader. "That's Ginger Rogers, honey," the woman told her. "She did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in high heels. Don't ever forget that."

Myka had smiled politely, printed the receipt and placed the book into a bag. She watched as the woman approached the door and turned one last time to stare back at Myka. "Remember, backwards and in high heels," she winked before walking out of the store, the chime of the bell sounding her departure.

With pure curiosity, Myka had looked up Ginger Rogers that very afternoon. Her filmography had been impressive with over seventy films to her name. She had gone on to win an Academy Award and was at one time the highest paid actress in Hollywood.

The facts about the actress were interesting, but it was the words, "backwards and in high heels," the customer uttered to her that day that Myka never forgot. They came to her at odd points in her life as she made her way through college and even on into the secret service where she was surrounded by men who always thought they were smarter and knew better. Myka remembered the words, "backwards and in high heels," and worked twice as hard.

"She's quite something, isn't she?" Helena asks, startling Myka from her memories.

"Yeah, she is," Myka agrees. She smiles then, wrapping her arms around Helena to gather her closer. "That's Ginger Rogers. She did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels," she smiles knowingly.

Helena laughs lightly. "She certainly did," she nods approvingly as she sits back to fit into Myka's arms. The two sit in silence, listening as Rogers sings the first verse of a song.

 _A fine romance, with no kisses_

 _A fine romance, my friend this is_

Helena suddenly stands from the sofa and Myka looks at her confused. "Helena? Don't you want to finish the movie?" she asks.

"Perhaps at another time, darling. That song has served to remind me we were in the midst of our own fine romance…one _with_ kisses as I recall, that I'd very much like to resume, if you're willing that is," Helena smirks.

Myka grins as she stands and encircles Helena's slim waist. Her lips softly brush Helena's cheek as she whispers simply, "For you, always."

Helena reaches up to place a lingering kiss on Myka's lips. When they part, she grasps Myka's hand in hers, leading her up the stairs to resume a fine romance.

 _The song "A Fine Romance" was composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields and featured in the Astaire/Rogers movie Swing Time._


End file.
